Malindi has a history stretching back over 1,000 years. Greeks, Persian and Arab traders frequented this coastline and evidence of a flourishing maritime trade can be found, Malindi is one of the oldest towns on the East African coast. Once rivaled only by Mombasa for dominance in this part of East Africa, Malindi has traditionally been a port city for foreign powers. In 1414, the town was visited by the fleet of the Chinese explorer Zheng He. Then in 1498 Portuguese explorer Vasco da Gama met Malindi authorities to sign a trade agreement and to hire a guide for the voyage to India, when he erected a coral pillar which still stands today.
In 1499 the Portuguese established a trading post in Malindi which served as a resting stop on the way to and from India. A church still remains which dates from this era, which is one of the oldest churches in East Africa. However in 1518 with the completion of Fort Jesus in Mombasa the Portuguese moved their administration down to Mombasa and their interest in Malindi gradually declined, and the Arabs eventually recaptured Malindi, after a three year siege over the years of 1696-1698 and since then Malindi has remained a Swahili settlement.
In 1887 the Sultan of Zanzibar leased his territories on the East African coast from Vanga in the south to Kinini in the north, which included Malindi region, to the British East Africa Association. In their territories the Company had control over the administration of the entire area and the collection of taxes and customs duties. Despite the Arab settlement, European expeditions in the middle of the 19th century also had a profound influence on life on the coast and the interior beyond.
All these influences have left their mark on the patchwork of race, religions, tribes, languages and customs that can be observed today among the peoples of the Kenyan coastal region. Malindi town evokes feelings of a great historic centre that has journeyed through ages. The culture, economy and general setup of any given place must change with time, and Malindi has journeyed through these eras with much dignity and the past and the present mix seamlessly here, from the time of the early Chinese and Arab traders to the Portuguese sailors and later on to European settlers who alongside other investors have transformed Malindi into a marvelous holiday destination. The people of Malindi are very warm and hospitable and their friendliness and welcoming attitude offer a charm that cannot be rivaled in any other tourist destination the world over.
In the 1920’s and early 1930’s Malindi became a popular holiday resort with up country residents and in 1932, the first hotel in Malindi was opened called Brady’s Palm Beach Hotel. Soon after the Second World War the water of Malindi began to become known as the best place for deep sea fishing on the East African Coast. In 1963 the Driftwood was built becoming only the fifth hotel in Malindi but, instead of being constructed on the Malindi Bay, it was built on the stunning Silversands Beach and, for many years, remained the only hotel on Silversands.
Malindi is also known for its culinary prowess with its restaurants, hotels, coffeehouses and other eating places offering a wide range of cuisines ranging from local flavors to international cuisines. The revival of the architectural industry and carpentry specializing in local wood artifacts is also something to be savored by all visitors. Malindi has got various woodcarvers who make unique furniture and also the famous Lamu beds
Several airlines fly a daily scheduled service to Malindi from Nairobi, Kenya's capital. Malindi is the second largest coastal town of Kenya. It is situated about 120 km north of Mombasa just a little south of the equator. The district has a coastline of 155 kilometres,
What to do in Malindi
Deep sea fishing is one of the main attractions of Malindi and offers some of the finest big game fishing in the world. Of world renown is the sailfish and broadbill fishing. Three of the Marlin family also occur on the north Kenya coast – black marlin, blue marlin and striped marlin and, along with numerous other species, it is easy to see why Malindi is famous for its great variety of deep sea fishing
There are also local tour guides to take you around to exotic places you have never seen before!
Given that Malindi is a seaside resort, do not forget to go out swimming in the warm waters, visit the marine park alongside sunbathing and other beach sports in this lovely aquatic paradise. Various activities, religious, cultural and other activities which involve the whole of Malindi community do take place and tourists are invited to attend such functions and have a feeling of being part of the community, for example, participation in beach cleaning, tree planting and religious festivals